Perfect Halloween tipples for all the family
Those of us with young kids will no doubt want the excuse to have a small party for Halloween. So the question inevitably comes up, what to give the kids to drink, and what the adults can also join in with!
A fun thing is to give the kids a spooky cocktail, non-alcoholic of course. Pumpkin Punch is a fun choice;- a hollowed out pumpkin filled with a blood-like delicious drink;- 25% pomegranate juice and 25% fresh orange juice, with the juice of a lime, topped up with 50% ginger ale, then with added slices of blood oranges.
For the adults who might like something a little more "warming", try halving the quantity of ginger ale and replacing with Tesco's Coconut Rum, £8 for a 70cl bottle, or also widely available Malibu White Rum with Coconut, £15 for a 70cl bottle in Tesco.
If it's a cold night with the kids knocking at your door for "trick or treating", why not get some non-alcoholic red wine and add cinnamon, nutmeg and some blood orange slices and gently warm into a mulled wine. You might also want to sweeten a bit with a spoonful or two of maple syrup. The best non-alcoholic red is Sutter Home Fre De-Alcoholised Red Alc Vol 0.5% for £3.49 at Waitrose.
Adults having a spooky supper on the night will want some appropriate wines to drink.
For a juicy rich, oak spicey Californian Chardonnay, Dark Horse Chardonnay is widely available, but the best deal is £7 in Sainsbury's.
Another sound white, a crisp citrussy Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, with lovely ripe peachy flavours, is appropriately called Silver Ghost Sauvignon Blanc 2020. From Majestic for £6.49, or great value £5.49 for a mixed six bottles.
For the reds there are more horror making choices, from the label not the wine!
Laithwaites have a great Shiraz Grenache blend called Rex Mundi 2020 with a truly frightening label. A rich gutsy red for hot stews on a cold night, £10.49 or £8.99 if buying twelve mixed bottles.
The Sunday Times Wine Club have an Argentinian Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec called the Waxed Bat, available in halves only until the next vintage arrives, but another big gutsy dark fruit flavoured wine, now in halves from the 2019 vintage it is properly mature. £5.99 per half bottle.
Have a great spooky evening!
Christopher Burr MW September 2023.
Updated 25th October 2021